Breaking down Proverbs 3 as requested
Proverbs 3:1-2
My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
Explanation: A command from the Lord to remember His 10 commandments, and to follow the laws of God, and in return, I will have long life and peace. This is indirectly linked to the commandment to honor our parents, which is the only commandment which has a reward of long life, and also the land which the Lord will give to us.
In Exo 20:12, the Bible states "“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you".
So not only do we have long life, land given to us, but we will also have peace on that land. It is definitely not so good for land to be provided but for the occupants to find out that they would be besieged on all sides or experience many troubles when they occupy that land.
Proverbs 3:3-4
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem, In the sight of God and man.
Explanation: A command to always remember mercy and truth, to let it become second nature to you as if these two qualities are bound around your neck, and written or engraved on the walls of your heart, and as a consequence, you will find favour in the sight of both God and also man.
Even in delivering judgment or in wrath the Lord remembers mercy (Habbakuk 3:2), so even as we must always speak the truth, we need to do so in love (Ephesians 4:5). This is one of my most obvious flaws, as whenever I get angry, I lash out at the provocateur without mercy, and I lay out the facts like bullets without any love. For me, this is extremely challenging to do because it is to do with self-control and taking a less reactive approach, but a more analyzed approach to issues.
I am guilty of lashing out at what I perceive to be "stupid" or "illogical" arguments on social media or in the work place, but this is a classic example of being in the right, but failing to do the right thing in the eyes of the Lord. Being sarcastic or trolling someone is not speaking the truth in love.
By being merciful and speaking truth in kindness with the intention to effect change (and not just to be correct or right), you are able to please both God and man. You may win someone over, instead of making an enemy, with the ultimate aim of eventually winning the person over to Christ.
So I really pray that mercy and truth will really be engraved onto the walls of my heart, and if I fail, the Holy Spirit be there to remind me of them.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Explanation: Now this two verses are probably two of the most famous proverbs from this chapter of Proverbs. To me, "trusting in the Lord" means to trust in Him even though circumstances might tell you a totally different story. When you see the chaos, troubles or problems, you are not to "lean on your own understanding", but what you are supposed to do is to trust the Lord will see you through the storms of life. To acknowledge Him is to recognize His sovereignty over every situation in the world and in your life, that before you react to a person's insult, or to a situation, you will consult Him first, there is no "knee jerk" reaction, you do not react on base carnal instinct, you ask God, what should I do? Because if you ask Him what you need to do, then He will direct your paths, and tell you where you should tread to get out of the storm. Sometimes, you might even need to walk deeper into the storm before you get out of it, that is when you really know whether you truly trust Him, instead of your own natural senses.
But how do I know I am hearing from the Lord, for Him to direct me onto the right path? Sometimes the Lord doesn't seem to be speaking to me in the midst of the storm, what do I do? These questions are answered later in the chapter.
I pray for me to really trust the Lord, that even when at times I don't feel or see Him moving, that I am able to trust that He is working for me, like in the song Miracle Maker. I will trust in His promises and His Word, that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28), even if it doesn't feel good at the moment.
In fact, Proverbs 3 is a little bit similar to Rom 12:9-21, as illustrated in the next few verses.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
Explanation: Verse 7 has a startling similarity to two out of three sentences in Rom 12:16 "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion." Basically, the verses tell us, do not try to be a smart ass, or think you're a wise guy, as all of our knowledge and wisdom are nothing compared to the Holy Spirit, who is able to bring revelation.
Further, it emphasizes for you to fear the Lord and stay away from evil, and if you do not think yourself as being too smart and you remember to fear the Lord and stay away from evil, such actions would ensure that you are in good health. A joke that popped into mind is because you will always be exercising and running, because the Bible says to flee from all temptation, and there is a lot of temptation from everywhere, everyday, at every moment! But how to flee from it, where to run to if you're running from something? Of course, it is to run into the presence of the Lord!
Again, there is also a slight repetition in relation to verses 1-2, fear the Lord, remember His commandments, and you will be in good health and enjoy long life!
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Explanation: Suddenly it seems that there is some sort of "break" in the flow of the Proverb, because from talking about health, or unhealthy pride, the Proverb suddenly talks about honoring God with your material wealth and to be even more precise, the tithe (i.e. the "first fruits" of your increase). That if I honour God by tithing and putting Him first even in my finances and material possessions, He is going to bless me back with His provision and with financial prosperity, not just until I have enough or what is sufficient, but until I have "plenty" and until my vats "overflow". But is it just so that I can indulge in myself and use all the blessings to show-off or enjoy them in a selfish way, or am I blessed to be a blessing, that I am meant to bless others with the overflowing blessings given to me?
Of course, and the Bible standard is again, unusually difficult. One would assume that the Lord provides me with more than enough so I can bless my family and friends right? Well, partly true, but that is simply to fulfil your duty to provide for your family. The Bible goes one step or rather many steps further, in asking us to bless our enemies! In Rom 12:20, it states "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Wow, what an impossible standard!
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
Explanation: I think the Bible is amazing because it seems as if the Word can preempt my reaction and provide exactly the right words to "neutralize" or counteract my reaction. After setting such high or neigh impossible standards, the Bible tells us not to despise the "chastening" or the Lord, or "detest His correction". That indirectly means that when we are unable to obey the commandments or do not walk in His will (which we might have prayed for earlier!), the Lord will scold us and tell us that we did something wrong! How can he do that? Through a variety of ways which may include our conscience, the Holy Spirit, or even through other people like our cell group leaders, our boss, our parents, our ministry leaders, etc! A person would normally react in anger, fear, resentment or rebellion, but it says that we should not react in such a way because the reason why God disciplines us is because He loves us, just as a father corrects his son in whom he "delights". I really like these two verses because it reminds us of God's love, which can sometimes be in the form of correction or discipline, when we do not behave as we should, but in the midst of discipline, He still loves us and He wants us to remember that.
The next part of Proverbs 3 focuses on Wisdom and the benefits of having wisdom, and I shall deal with those verses from Proverbs 3:13-35 on another day.
Dear Lord, help me remember Proverbs 3:1-12, basically it is to remember the commandments of the Lord, to trust in Him and not rely on my own understanding, to depart from evil and not cave in to the flesh, to see situations through His will and not on natural circumstances, to continue to tithe and give to the church, and to accept and act on the corrective actions from the Lord.
My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
Explanation: A command from the Lord to remember His 10 commandments, and to follow the laws of God, and in return, I will have long life and peace. This is indirectly linked to the commandment to honor our parents, which is the only commandment which has a reward of long life, and also the land which the Lord will give to us.
In Exo 20:12, the Bible states "“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you".
So not only do we have long life, land given to us, but we will also have peace on that land. It is definitely not so good for land to be provided but for the occupants to find out that they would be besieged on all sides or experience many troubles when they occupy that land.
Proverbs 3:3-4
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem, In the sight of God and man.
Explanation: A command to always remember mercy and truth, to let it become second nature to you as if these two qualities are bound around your neck, and written or engraved on the walls of your heart, and as a consequence, you will find favour in the sight of both God and also man.
Even in delivering judgment or in wrath the Lord remembers mercy (Habbakuk 3:2), so even as we must always speak the truth, we need to do so in love (Ephesians 4:5). This is one of my most obvious flaws, as whenever I get angry, I lash out at the provocateur without mercy, and I lay out the facts like bullets without any love. For me, this is extremely challenging to do because it is to do with self-control and taking a less reactive approach, but a more analyzed approach to issues.
I am guilty of lashing out at what I perceive to be "stupid" or "illogical" arguments on social media or in the work place, but this is a classic example of being in the right, but failing to do the right thing in the eyes of the Lord. Being sarcastic or trolling someone is not speaking the truth in love.
By being merciful and speaking truth in kindness with the intention to effect change (and not just to be correct or right), you are able to please both God and man. You may win someone over, instead of making an enemy, with the ultimate aim of eventually winning the person over to Christ.
So I really pray that mercy and truth will really be engraved onto the walls of my heart, and if I fail, the Holy Spirit be there to remind me of them.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Explanation: Now this two verses are probably two of the most famous proverbs from this chapter of Proverbs. To me, "trusting in the Lord" means to trust in Him even though circumstances might tell you a totally different story. When you see the chaos, troubles or problems, you are not to "lean on your own understanding", but what you are supposed to do is to trust the Lord will see you through the storms of life. To acknowledge Him is to recognize His sovereignty over every situation in the world and in your life, that before you react to a person's insult, or to a situation, you will consult Him first, there is no "knee jerk" reaction, you do not react on base carnal instinct, you ask God, what should I do? Because if you ask Him what you need to do, then He will direct your paths, and tell you where you should tread to get out of the storm. Sometimes, you might even need to walk deeper into the storm before you get out of it, that is when you really know whether you truly trust Him, instead of your own natural senses.
But how do I know I am hearing from the Lord, for Him to direct me onto the right path? Sometimes the Lord doesn't seem to be speaking to me in the midst of the storm, what do I do? These questions are answered later in the chapter.
I pray for me to really trust the Lord, that even when at times I don't feel or see Him moving, that I am able to trust that He is working for me, like in the song Miracle Maker. I will trust in His promises and His Word, that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28), even if it doesn't feel good at the moment.
In fact, Proverbs 3 is a little bit similar to Rom 12:9-21, as illustrated in the next few verses.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
Explanation: Verse 7 has a startling similarity to two out of three sentences in Rom 12:16 "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion." Basically, the verses tell us, do not try to be a smart ass, or think you're a wise guy, as all of our knowledge and wisdom are nothing compared to the Holy Spirit, who is able to bring revelation.
Further, it emphasizes for you to fear the Lord and stay away from evil, and if you do not think yourself as being too smart and you remember to fear the Lord and stay away from evil, such actions would ensure that you are in good health. A joke that popped into mind is because you will always be exercising and running, because the Bible says to flee from all temptation, and there is a lot of temptation from everywhere, everyday, at every moment! But how to flee from it, where to run to if you're running from something? Of course, it is to run into the presence of the Lord!
Again, there is also a slight repetition in relation to verses 1-2, fear the Lord, remember His commandments, and you will be in good health and enjoy long life!
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Explanation: Suddenly it seems that there is some sort of "break" in the flow of the Proverb, because from talking about health, or unhealthy pride, the Proverb suddenly talks about honoring God with your material wealth and to be even more precise, the tithe (i.e. the "first fruits" of your increase). That if I honour God by tithing and putting Him first even in my finances and material possessions, He is going to bless me back with His provision and with financial prosperity, not just until I have enough or what is sufficient, but until I have "plenty" and until my vats "overflow". But is it just so that I can indulge in myself and use all the blessings to show-off or enjoy them in a selfish way, or am I blessed to be a blessing, that I am meant to bless others with the overflowing blessings given to me?
Of course, and the Bible standard is again, unusually difficult. One would assume that the Lord provides me with more than enough so I can bless my family and friends right? Well, partly true, but that is simply to fulfil your duty to provide for your family. The Bible goes one step or rather many steps further, in asking us to bless our enemies! In Rom 12:20, it states "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Wow, what an impossible standard!
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
Explanation: I think the Bible is amazing because it seems as if the Word can preempt my reaction and provide exactly the right words to "neutralize" or counteract my reaction. After setting such high or neigh impossible standards, the Bible tells us not to despise the "chastening" or the Lord, or "detest His correction". That indirectly means that when we are unable to obey the commandments or do not walk in His will (which we might have prayed for earlier!), the Lord will scold us and tell us that we did something wrong! How can he do that? Through a variety of ways which may include our conscience, the Holy Spirit, or even through other people like our cell group leaders, our boss, our parents, our ministry leaders, etc! A person would normally react in anger, fear, resentment or rebellion, but it says that we should not react in such a way because the reason why God disciplines us is because He loves us, just as a father corrects his son in whom he "delights". I really like these two verses because it reminds us of God's love, which can sometimes be in the form of correction or discipline, when we do not behave as we should, but in the midst of discipline, He still loves us and He wants us to remember that.
The next part of Proverbs 3 focuses on Wisdom and the benefits of having wisdom, and I shall deal with those verses from Proverbs 3:13-35 on another day.
Dear Lord, help me remember Proverbs 3:1-12, basically it is to remember the commandments of the Lord, to trust in Him and not rely on my own understanding, to depart from evil and not cave in to the flesh, to see situations through His will and not on natural circumstances, to continue to tithe and give to the church, and to accept and act on the corrective actions from the Lord.
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